Bears Out To Deal A Few Telling Blows

Dallas Game May Be Revealing

IRVING, TEX. — Exhibition games tell nothing about football teams, except when they tell everything.

If the Bears play Monday night against the Cowboys the way they played against the Cardinals and the Colts, they hope it means nothing.

If they play the way they want, they hope it means everything.

Coach Mike Ditka, making his first trip back to the city where he played for four years and coached for nine, thinks old boss Tom Landry will try to leave a good impression because the two clubs play for keeps Nov. 17.

Likewise, the Bears plan to leave a better impression than the one touchdown they left on the Cardinals and the Colts combined.

It would be unlikely, however, that either team will leave its entire playbook on film.

With their contract problems pared to two unsigned defensive starters, linebacker Al Harris and safety Todd Bell, the Bears have only 13 days to get their act together. A game in front of a national television audience is as good a place as any for a dress rehearsal.

Ditka says he will play his regulars longer Monday night than he will next week against the Bills in the final tune-up, so they can have extra time to heal. The Cowboys also are expected to play regulars longer, so the result could be more interesting than the usual soporific preseason routine.

Quarterback Jim McMahon hopes to play three quarters. Halfback Walter Payton may play a half. Wide receiver Dennis McKinnon will not play because of a knee injury. The Bears may have to get used to his absence.

``When you go into a game knowing you`re only going to play a quarter or a half, you`re not as much into it as if you know you were going to play the whole ballgame,`` McMahon says. ``You try to establish a rhythm early and then you`re out. At least this week, I know I`m going to play a lot more.``

Ditka also will give McMahon a lot more to play with.

In the first two exhibitions, the offense worked with limited formations. In this one, Ditka plans to use more of the playbook. Offensive coordinator Ed Hughes will signal plays to McMahon and he must supply the appropriate formation. It must be done in time to beat the 30-second clock, an annual problem that has increased this year because officials are starting it sooner in an effort to speed up games.

The game will provide another test for the National Football League experiment in instant replay. An extra official will monitor the same ABC-TV replays fans see at home. If he sees an obvious mistake, he can reverse the decision of the officials on the field.

The first reversal occurred last week during the 49ers-Broncos game. When 49er receiver Jerry Rice bobbled a pass that was ruled a fumble recovered by the Broncos, a replay official ruled it was an incomplete pass after watching the monitor.

If the experiment proves successful, owners can vote to incorporate it into regular-season games in 1986, but not this year.

The Bears` defense expects to be buoyed by the return of holdout middle linebacker Mike Singletary, injured tackle Dan Hampton and free safety Gary Fencik. All are expected to play, probably no more than a half.

The Bears say they have added incentive to play well because they objected last December to remarks made by ABC commentator O.J. Simpson during their Monday night loss to San Diego.

``It`d be nice to go out and look good on national TV so we don`t get beat up too much by that crew that`s telecasting us,`` Ditka says.

Ditka must trim the roster from 60 to 50 before Wednesday. By Labor Day, only 45 will have employment. That makes the following spots worth watching:

Running back: Ninth-round draft choice Thomas Sanders of Texas A&M is expected to replace Payton so the Bears can see if he is better than veteran back-ups Dennis Gentry and Anthony Hutchison. Sanders has been hampered by a hamstring injury.

Tight end: Free-agent rookie Don Kindt is still competing for a spot with veterans Emery Moorehead, Tim Wrightman and Pat Dunsmore. Dunsmore is injured. Wide receiver: Third-round selection James Maness is supposed to be recovered from a hamstring injury that has prevented him from flashing his track sprinter`s speed. He is playing behind Brad Anderson and Jack Cameron at flanker, opposite split ends Willie Gault and Ken Margerum. If Ditka keeps three tight ends, he probably can`t keep more than four wide receivers. With McKinnon in limbo, what does he do?

Defensive back: Free-agent rookie Ken Taylor will start at right cornerback in place of injured Leslie Frazier. Ditka called him a ``soft``

player last week and this apparently is his last chance to stick. Second-round draft choice Reggie Phillips, who has the team made at cornerback, also will play.

Kickers and punters: Fourth-round choice Kevin Butler and veteran Bob Thomas still appear indistinguishable in placekicking. Dave Finzer is in danger of losing his punting job to newcomer Maury Buford, who beat out Finzer last year in San Diego.